Leonard Earl Likes

Leonard Earl Likes returned to his Heavenly Father August 11, 2017.

He was born March 23, 1932 in Roberts, Idaho to Acy McKinley Likes and Blanch Florence Knoll, the 4th of 7 children. He attended Hawthorne Elementary, O.E. Bell Junior High, and Idaho Falls High School.

In 1950, during his senior year, he met Barbara Rose Lundquist. She was taking bookkeeping on the other side of the window where he was studying office practice. They dated and got engaged in 1952. Leonard and Barbara married on April 3, 1953. They welcomed three daughters Shelley Ann, Shawna Sue, and Terry Rose.

Leonard had great work ethics. He learned this as a young boy shoveling walks, mowing lawns, picking potatoes, and even tending furnaces for neighbors. He worked as a janitor and later a car detailer at J. Ed Browning. They bought their first home in 1956. He proceeded to dig a basement under the house bucket by bucket after entering the crawl space on his belly.

In 1959 he went to work at Hart Pontiac detailing cars and fixing electronics. Leonard and Barbara bought land in the country next to her parents. The Lundquists' moved their trailer onto the land first and then all joined in building a basement. The Likes family lived in the basement for 3 years. The house was finished upstairs next and then Leonard and Barbara built their own home next door doing most of the work themselves.

Leonard joined the Idaho Falls Fire Department in 1966. With lots of hard work and study he advanced in the department and retired as a driver after serving for 25 years. During his years as a firefighter he was able to spend time maintaining and remodeling rental property on his days off. Leonard enjoyed spending time with family. The family enjoyed drives in the country, picnics, camping, cutting firewood and vacations. He could often be found fishing or hunting with his grandchildren. Leonard loved watching his grandkids sporting events.

In 1960 Leonard was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He served in various callings. He and Barbara were sealed in the Idaho Falls Temple on August 3,1962. Leonard and Barbara enjoyed traveling. On one of their trips in their fifth wheel traveling to Canada they returned home having purchased a home in Hot Springs, Montana. Three years later they purchased a winter home in Surprise, Arizona. They enjoyed taking cruises, including taking their daughters on one and later taking 8 of their grandkids on a cruise.

Leonard is survived by Shelley and Ted Milton, Shawna and Karl Martin of Idaho Falls and Terry and Ladd Jones of Hot Springs, Montana, 9 grandchildren, and 17 great-grandchildren 2 brothers and 2 sisters.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, a sister, a grandson, and wife Barbara.

A private family service will be held.

A special Thank you to Morning Star Senior Living of Idaho Falls and Hospice of Eastern Idaho.